No evidence swapping sugar for artificial sweeteners helps weight loss, major review warns
6 years ago

No evidence swapping sugar for artificial sweeteners helps weight loss, major review warns

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners used in Diet Coke and other soft drinks has no effect on weight loss and their long-term health effects are still poorly understood, a major scientific review has said. In the largest analysis of the health effects of non-sugar sweeteners to date, German researchers found little robust evidence to support claimed health benefits or to rule out increased harm from long term use. “While some studies report an association between sweetener use and reduced obesity and risk of type 2 diabetes, other studies suggest that sweetener use could increase the risk of weight gain, diabetes and cancer.” But after completing the review, the authors concluded: “No evidence was seen for health benefits from sweeteners and potential harms could not be excluded.” In the UK the switch to sugar alternatives has been driven by a government levy on added sugar in soft drinks, which caused many manufacturers to cut out sugar, or raise the prices of their products. “Replacement of sugary drinks with artificial sweeteners helps prevent weight gain in children but is not superior to the preferred alternative – water.”

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History of this topic

Drinking sugary drinks may increase your risk of death. Here are alternative options
1 week, 2 days ago

Drinking sugary drinks may increase your risk of death. Here are alternative options

CNN  

Sign up for CNN’s Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. “This is a public health crisis, requiring urgent action,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University. With the evidence, researchers created a comparative risk model and estimated that sugary drinks “cause more than 330,000 annual deaths from …

Some added sugar sources are worse than others for disease risk, study suggests
1 month ago

Some added sugar sources are worse than others for disease risk, study suggests

CNN  

CNN — Sign up for CNN’s Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. Outside factors might be behind the association between low added sugar intake and increased cardiovascular risk, since there are no biological mechanisms to explain it, Janzi said. “Solid sugars are often part of foods that contain other nutrients like fiber, proteins, and fats.” Those nutrients slow digestion, meaning there …

Some added sugar sources are worse than others for disease risk, study suggests
1 month ago

Some added sugar sources are worse than others for disease risk, study suggests

CNN  

CNN — Sign up for CNN’s Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. Outside factors might be behind the association between low added sugar intake and increased cardiovascular risk, since there are no biological mechanisms to explain it, Janzi said. “Solid sugars are often part of foods that contain other nutrients like fiber, proteins, and fats.” Those nutrients slow digestion, meaning there …

#28: Are sugar substitutes (artificial sweeteners) effective or harmful for long term health?
1 month, 3 weeks ago

#28: Are sugar substitutes (artificial sweeteners) effective or harmful for long term health?

Times of India  

Dr. Nickhil Jakatdar has been working at the cutting edge of preventive health and longevity over the last 10 years with the 3 D’s – data, doctors, and dietitians – to go from being diagnosed with heart disease at the age of 41, to now having all his blood markers and body measurements in the green and his epigenetic biological …

Consuming sugar-sweetened beverages may cause significant harm to health: Study
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Consuming sugar-sweetened beverages may cause significant harm to health: Study

India TV News  

Although drinking sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas, fruit punch, and lemonade—whether indoors or outdoors—is quite common, scientists warned on Monday that doing so might have serious negative health effects, including kidney and tooth infections as well as heart disease. Drinks with added sugar or other sweeteners, such as sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, or fruit juice concentrates, are sugar-sweetened beverages. Additives …

Indian researchers study effect of artificial sugar on diabetes. Here's what they found
5 months, 1 week ago

Indian researchers study effect of artificial sugar on diabetes. Here's what they found

India Today  

The Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, a non-profit medical research institute, has published India's first study on how the artificial sweetener sucralose affects heart and metabolic health in adults with type 2 diabetes. Over 12 weeks, 179 Indians with type 2 diabetes participated in this research, which is a randomised controlled study looking at replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners. The results …

Attack on sugar unfair? Fitness experts reveal why sugar is absolutely safe for human health
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Attack on sugar unfair? Fitness experts reveal why sugar is absolutely safe for human health

Hindustan Times  

The age-old saying ‘excess of everything is bad’ holds true for sugar consumption as well and sugar can be beneficial or harmful depending on the source and dosage. In recent years, sugar has been unfairly vilified, often portrayed as uniquely harmful and addictive but while a superficial reading of scientific papers might suggest that sugar is bad, a more detailed …

Are artificial sweeteners safe for you?
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Are artificial sweeteners safe for you?

Hindustan Times  

In March, a 10-year-old in Punjab tragically died after a eating her birthday cake. Artificial sweeteners completely disable the brain's reward system, leading to a constant feeling of hunger even after eating something sweet, says Dr Nivya Vikal Artificial sweeteners mimic the taste of sugar. Since most people might not be aware of how much sweeter artificial sweeteners can be …

Scientifically Speaking | The bitter truth about non-sugar sweeteners
9 months ago

Scientifically Speaking | The bitter truth about non-sugar sweeteners

Hindustan Times  

Who doesn’t want to be healthier? In fact, the World Health Organization released guidelines in 2022, advising against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control or to reduce the risk of diseases commonly linked to obesity, such as diabetes and heart disease. Around two decades ago, I started to consume soft drinks and beverages containing non-sugar sweeteners, believing their zero-calorie content …

The drinks that increase your risk of heart conditions revealed
10 months, 1 week ago

The drinks that increase your risk of heart conditions revealed

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. And those who drank similar amounts of beverages containing added sugar – with ingredients such …

Why you should avoid diet food if you want to lose weight, and artificial sweeteners aren't better than sugar: DR CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN's essential guide to ultra-processed food
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Why you should avoid diet food if you want to lose weight, and artificial sweeteners aren't better than sugar: DR CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN's essential guide to ultra-processed food

Daily Mail  

Until recently I used to feed my family 'no-added-sugar' foods such as Heinz baked beans on toast as a quick and easy midweek meal. Some research shows artificial sweeteners can even result in increases in the levels of sugar in our bloodstreams, which may raise the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Not just because artificial sweeteners themselves may be no …

Soda sweetener aspartame now listed as possible cancer cause. But it’s still considered safe
1 year, 6 months ago

Soda sweetener aspartame now listed as possible cancer cause. But it’s still considered safe

Associated Press  

The World Health Organization’s cancer agency has deemed the sweetener aspartame — found in diet soda and countless other foods — as a “possible” cause of cancer, while a separate expert group looking at the same evidence said it still considers the sugar substitute safe in limited quantities. The Lyon, France-based cancer agency periodically reviews potential cancer hazards, but doesn’t …

Soda sweetener aspartame now listed as possible cancer cause. But it’s still considered safe
1 year, 6 months ago

Soda sweetener aspartame now listed as possible cancer cause. But it’s still considered safe

LA Times  

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization, deemed aspartame, the world’s most widely used artificial sweetener, to be “possibly carcinogenic” to humans. The World Health Organization’s cancer agency has deemed the sweetener aspartame — found in diet soda and countless other foods — as a “possible” cause of cancer, while a …

Switching from sugar to artificial sweeteners? Here are dos and don'ts to keep in mind
1 year, 6 months ago

Switching from sugar to artificial sweeteners? Here are dos and don'ts to keep in mind

Hindustan Times  

Amid reports of WHO planning to declare popular artificial sweetener aspartame as possible carcinogen, it is important to re-look at the intake of these widely-used sugar alternatives. Studies have revealed that artificial sweeteners could be a factor in weight gain since they might interfere with the body's capacity to control calorie intake, which can result in overeating and increased cravings. …

Why I would rather use sugar in my tea than an artificial sweetener, says professor Tim Spector
1 year, 6 months ago

Why I would rather use sugar in my tea than an artificial sweetener, says professor Tim Spector

Daily Mail  

If you have recently enjoyed a low-fat yoghurt, a diet drink, a biscuit or even a dollop of reduced sugar ketchup on your chips, there's every chance you have consumed aspartame — the artificial sweetener that has been a popular sugar substitute since the 1980s. I'm not a big believer in rat studies to tell me whether food is safe …

Sweetener in Diet Coke Possibly Carcinogenic, Warns WHO
1 year, 6 months ago

Sweetener in Diet Coke Possibly Carcinogenic, Warns WHO

Deccan Chronicle  

With the World Health Organisation likely to label Aspartame, one of the world’s most popular artificial sweeteners, a possible carcinogen, many celebrities like actor Tom Hanks who said his drink of choice is a “Cokeagne” a can of Diet Coke mixed with Champagne, former President Donald Trump who had a button added to the Oval Office which immediately requested the …

From hairdressers to aloe vera: What will Diet Coke join as a ‘possible cancer risk’
1 year, 6 months ago

From hairdressers to aloe vera: What will Diet Coke join as a ‘possible cancer risk’

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A popular …

Aspartame: Artificial sweetener may soon be declared as cancer-causing agent by WHO
1 year, 6 months ago

Aspartame: Artificial sweetener may soon be declared as cancer-causing agent by WHO

India TV News  

The World Health Organization's cancer research arm is soon likely to declare 'Aspartame', one of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners in foods and beverages as a cancer-causing agent, according to a media report. In July, the International Agency for Research on Cancer is expected to list aspartame, used in products from Coca-Cola diet sodas to Mars' Extra chewing gum …

Sweetener found in Diet Coke will be declared as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans', report claims
1 year, 6 months ago

Sweetener found in Diet Coke will be declared as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans', report claims

Daily Mail  

An artificial sweetener added to thousands of fizzy drinks, chewing gums and low-calorie foods will be declared a potential cancer risk, a bombshell report claimed today. Particular products containing aspartame — which entered the market in the 1980s — include Diet Coke, Dr Pepper and some Fanta flavours, as well as Extra chewing gum and Muller Light yoghurts. Particular products …

Are sugar-free products beneficial for health? Here's the impact of artificial sweeteners on body
1 year, 7 months ago

Are sugar-free products beneficial for health? Here's the impact of artificial sweeteners on body

Hindustan Times  

Almost everyone likes a sugary snack but if you often have foods and drinks with lots of added sugar, the empty calories can add up where added sugar can play a part in weight gain and it also may raise your risk of serious health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Some people use products called sugar substitutes, also …

WHO’s recommendation against the use of artificial sweeteners for weight loss raises many questions
1 year, 7 months ago

WHO’s recommendation against the use of artificial sweeteners for weight loss raises many questions

Salon  

Do low-calorie sweeteners help with weight management? In early May 2023, the World Health Organization issued a statement that cautions against the use of nonsugar sweeteners for weight loss except for people who have preexisting diabetes. However, there are conflicting studies from animal models and humans that have not found significant body weight gain associated with nonsugar sweeteners consumption. Parsing …

Are non-sugar sweeteners actually bad for you?
1 year, 7 months ago

Are non-sugar sweeteners actually bad for you?

Live Mint  

So, it turns out that sugar substitutes are not, after all, as much of a healthy option as the world had thought them to be. After a systematic review of available evidence, experts from the World Health Organization have found that the use of non-sugar sweeteners do not help with weight management. “Zero-sugar sweet drinks and other artificially sweetened beverages …

Is sugar actually "better for you" than artificial sweeteners?
1 year, 7 months ago

Is sugar actually "better for you" than artificial sweeteners?

Salon  

This article was originally published on The Conversation. For body fatness, the randomized controlled trials showed those consuming more artificial sweeteners had slightly lower weight — an average of 0.71kg — than those consuming less or no artificial sweeteners. Higher intakes of artificial sweeteners were associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death in the …

The bitter truth about artificial sweeteners, as per WHO
1 year, 7 months ago

The bitter truth about artificial sweeteners, as per WHO

Live Mint  

Think twice before drinking a diet soda, or using no-sugar sweeteners in your morning coffee. The news agency Agence France-Presse, published findings by the World Health Organisation that said, “Artificial sweeteners, used to replace sugar in a vast range of products, do not help in losing weight and can have serious health effects.” The story reported that WHO’s new guidelines …

WHO warns against using artificial sweeteners
1 year, 7 months ago

WHO warns against using artificial sweeteners

Deccan Chronicle  

Geneva: Artificial sweeteners, used to replace sugar in a vast range of products, do not help in losing weight and can have serious health effects, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO's director for nutrition and food safety, Francesco Branca, stressed that replacing ordinary sugar with artificial sweeteners "does not help with weight control in the long term". Nita …

WHO issues warning against use of artificial sweeteners to ‘reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases’
1 year, 7 months ago

WHO issues warning against use of artificial sweeteners to ‘reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases’

Hindustan Times  

The World Health Organization issued a warning on Tuesday against artificial sweeteners or non-sugar sweeteners, which are widely used in products to replace sugar “to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases ”. The WHO further said that the results of the review had suggested that the use of such sugar alternative had undesirable effects like increased …

Use of artificial sweeteners may have harmful consequences cautions WHO
1 year, 7 months ago

Use of artificial sweeteners may have harmful consequences cautions WHO

Firstpost  

According to the World Health Organisation, artificial sweeteners, which are used to substitute sugar in a wide variety of products, do not aid in weight loss and may have harmful consequences on health. Additionally, the review’s findings “suggest that there may be potential undesirable effects from long-term use of NSS, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular …

WHO advises against use of sugar substitutes for weight loss
1 year, 7 months ago

WHO advises against use of sugar substitutes for weight loss

The Hindu  

The World Health Organization has advised against the use of non-sugar sweeteners to control body weight or reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases. The findings also suggest that there may be potential undesirable impact from long-term use of NSS, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults, the WHO said. People need to …

Artificial sweeteners do not aid weight loss, World Health Organisation warns
1 year, 7 months ago

Artificial sweeteners do not aid weight loss, World Health Organisation warns

The Independent  

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Commenting …

WHO warns against artificial sweeteners
1 year, 8 months ago

WHO warns against artificial sweeteners

Hindustan Times  

The use of non-sugar sweeteners does not result in any long-term reduction in body fat, the World Health Organization said on Monday, with the UN health body suggesting that the use of such substances may in fact increase the risk of type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mortality in adults. Based on a review of the available evidence, WHO recommended against …

Limit sugary drinks to one per week, researchers say
1 year, 9 months ago

Limit sugary drinks to one per week, researchers say

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. High dietary sugar consumption is generally more harmful than beneficial for health, especially in …

This Is Your Body And Brain On Artificial Sweeteners
1 year, 9 months ago

This Is Your Body And Brain On Artificial Sweeteners

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Consumers of sugar-free treats were in for a shock when a study began circulating last month noting that the use of erythritol ― a popular sweetener used in everything from cereal to sugar-free sodas ― is associated with an increased risk for heart issues. This isn’t the first study that has linked artificial sweeteners to health problems …

Could our love affair with sugar and artificial sweeteners literally break our hearts?
1 year, 10 months ago

Could our love affair with sugar and artificial sweeteners literally break our hearts?

LA Times  

Candy — all that sugar! Now artificial sweeteners have been associated with higher risk of “adverse cardiac events.” I love sugar and, as a kid, I had a lot of cavities. In Harvard Health’s bulletin, nutrition professor Frank Hu, who led the study, said, “Excess sugar’s impact on obesity and diabetes is well documented, but one area that may surprise …

Study Says Dietary drinks Can Up Heart Disease Risk
2 years, 4 months ago

Study Says Dietary drinks Can Up Heart Disease Risk

News 18  

A new study has found a link between consumption of artificial sweetener, generally found in dietary beverages, and increased cardiovascular disease risk like stroke. “Aspartame intake was associated with increased risk of cerebrovascular events, and acesulfame potassium and sucralose were associated with increased coronary heart disease risk,” said the researchers. It studied early markers of cardiovascular health like weight status, …

Sweeteners linked to heart disease in new study
2 years, 4 months ago

Sweeteners linked to heart disease in new study

The Independent  

Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our food and drink newsletter for free Get our food and drink newsletter for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Researchers have identified a possible link between artificial sweeteners and …

Artificial sweeteners should 'not be assumed to be safe', scientist warns
2 years, 4 months ago

Artificial sweeteners should 'not be assumed to be safe', scientist warns

Daily Mail  

Artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas and low-fat desserts should 'not be assumed safe,' an Israeli scientist has warned — after his study found they made it harder for cells to absorb sugar and changed the gut microbiome. Previous studies have also linked sweeteners to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity, but have also shown …

Artificial sweeteners linked to breast and obesity cancers in new study
2 years, 9 months ago

Artificial sweeteners linked to breast and obesity cancers in new study

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The link between artificial sweeteners and cancer reported in this study does not imply causation …

Diet soda may make you want to eat more - here’s why
3 years, 3 months ago

Diet soda may make you want to eat more - here’s why

The Independent  

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about …

Study finds that sweetened drinks cause more harm than eating sugary foods
5 years, 2 months ago

Study finds that sweetened drinks cause more harm than eating sugary foods

Firstpost  

Five researchers found in a clinical study that drinking sweetened beverages may be worse for health than eating sugary foods. Five researchers — four from China and one from the UK’s University of Aberdeen — found in a clinical study that drinking sweetened beverages may be worse for health than eating sugary foods. In addition to weight gain, eating too …

Want to live longer? Stop consuming soft drinks
5 years, 4 months ago

Want to live longer? Stop consuming soft drinks

Hindustan Times  

Greater consumption of sugar-sweetened and artificially-sweetened soft drinks is linked to a higher incidence of all-cause mortality, researchers have warned. Results for sugar-sweetened soft drinks provide further support to limit consumption “We found that higher soft drink intake was associated with a greater risk of death from any cause regardless of whether sugar-sweetened or artificially-sweetened drinks were consumed,” said study …

Now fruit juice is linked to a higher cancer risk
5 years, 6 months ago

Now fruit juice is linked to a higher cancer risk

Live Mint  

Paris: Drinking soda doesn’t just threaten to make us fat, it could be linked to a higher risk of cancer, judging from a new study. When people drank the same amount of unsweetened fruit juice, they were also more likely to develop cancer, the researchers found. The researchers tracked 97 beverages and 12 artificially sweetened ones, including carbonated ones, sports …

Sweeteners are NOT healthier than sugar
6 years ago

Sweeteners are NOT healthier than sugar

Daily Mail  

Artificial sweeteners are no healthier than real sugar and may even be harmful, a study has claimed. A review of 56 studies on sweeteners found no significant differences in people's weight, blood sugar or oral health when compared with people who eat sugar. 'Non-sugar sweeteners remain far better than sugar sweetened beverages given lack of calories in the former, and …

Drinking diet drinks 'could increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes'
6 years, 3 months ago

Drinking diet drinks 'could increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes'

Daily Mail  

Diet drinks and artificial sweeteners that many use to cut their sugar consumption could actually put them at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, research suggests. Low-calorie sweeteners which are used in many diet drinks were linked to changes in bacteria in the gut that could increase the risk of diabetes Many people at risk of diabetes, such as those …

WHAT ARE THE FEARS OVER SWEETENERS? AND WHAT DOES THE SCIENCE SHOW?
6 years, 3 months ago

WHAT ARE THE FEARS OVER SWEETENERS? AND WHAT DOES THE SCIENCE SHOW?

Daily Mail  

In an era of obesity and diabetes, there is more focus on sweeteners and sugar alternatives than ever before. OBESITY AND DIABETES A study published in April this year from the Medical College of Wisconsin and Marquette University linked artificial sweeteners to obesity and diabetes, claiming sweeteners change how the body processes fat and uses energy. GUT BACTERIA Leading gut …

Ditch the diet Coke? Sweeteners are toxic to the gut
6 years, 3 months ago

Ditch the diet Coke? Sweeteners are toxic to the gut

Daily Mail  

Aspartame - a controversial sweetener - is used in Diet Coke Artificial sweeteners found in Diet Coke and other soft drinks could damage your gut bacteria, research suggests. The researchers discovered toxins are released when gut bacteria are exposed to artificial sweeteners in the lab. He said: 'This is further evidence consumption of artificial sweeteners adversely affects gut microbial activity …

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